Soon after the original MOTIF music production synthesizer was released in 2001, it was recognized as the best sounding, top-selling and most requested music production synthesizer/workstation on the market. Over time, it has continued to evolve and improve its expressiveness and functionality. At the same time, the online community of end users, sound programmers, software developers and product support specialists at www.yamahasynth.com has expanded into a vibrant online music production community. The MOTIF breathes new life into live performances with its expressive sounds and intuitive control. In music creation, the MOTIF not only offers its own music creation capabilities, it also offers a system for integrating those capabilities with a variety of software applications. And now, the next generation XF builds on the decade-long heritage of MOTIF, and provides Flash memory expansion capabilities that will set a new standard for keyboard workstations for years to come.

Features

Play and Perform - The Best Sounds Just Got Better

The 741MB of internal Wave ROM includes incredibly realistic pianos and acoustic instruments, vintage synths and the hip hop sounds that all of today's top producers are using.
The popular FSX (Motif XF6/7) and BH (Motif XF8) keyboards let you expre...

The next generation "Motif XF" builds on the decade-long heritage of Motif and breaks new ground with Flash memory expansion capabilities that will set the standard for keyboard workstations for years to come.

The next generation "Motif XF" builds on the decade-long heritage of Motif and breaks new ground with Flash memory expansion capabilities that will set the standard for keyboard workstations for years to come.

The next generation "Motif XF" builds on the decade-long heritage of Motif and breaks new ground with Flash memory expansion capabilities that will set the standard for keyboard workstations for years to come.

A sophisticated 8-element synth architecture with XSpanded articulation and 18 different filter types let you shape your sound anyway you want, and the 8 front panel knobs and sliders make it easy to do even in real time.

Direct-to-USB recording and playback lets you record your final mixes to any connected USB memory device as CD-quality WAV files, or play WAV files created on your computer back on the XF.

Customize and Make It Your Own

Up to 2GB of optional flash Wave memory – two slots accommodate proprietary Yamaha flash board options: a 512MB flash board and a 1GB flash board. Because this is flash memory, once you've loaded a sound, it's always in your Motif when you turn it on.

An improved User Interface with many user-requested features like Tap Tempo, Drum Editing in Mix Mode, and Auto Mapping of samples, plus a new customizable UI for selecting your choice of color and positioning of key displays will be available for Motif XF in a future OS update.

Connect and Expand With New Possibilities

Computer connectivity (via USB, Ethernet or the FW16E FireWire option) and DAW integration features like 8 zone Master mode, DAW remote control and cross platform editors let you seamlessly integrate the Motif with any DAW software, including the bundled Cubase AI software.

1. A high-quality collection of Voices, including powerful piano Voices provided from an enormous 741MB of waveforms

The Motif XF boasts a rich collection of instrument Voices that includes piano, EPs, strings, wind instruments, orchestral sounds, guitars, basses, and drums, as well as a wide variety of vintage and modern synth sounds. Of special note are the detailed digital re-creations of two Yamaha grand pianos (a 9' CFIII and a 7' S6) that only an acoustic piano manufacturer could achieve. The reproduction in minute detail of even very subtle nuances results in exquisitely crafted piano Voices that will satisfy even the most demanding players.

New waveforms have been added to the Motif XF, which now contains a huge total of 741 MB of waveforms.

Starting with the S6 piano, the 136 newly-added Voices include keyboard sounds such as those of clavinets and organs as well as a wide range of new sounds from orchestral to hip-hop. This huge internal wave memory ensures that the Motif XF is the best sounding and most versatile keyboard workstation right out of the box.

2. Up to 2GB of additional content available through flash memory expansion modules

Two flash board slots accommodate two proprietary Yamaha flash board options -- a 512MB board and 1GB board. With two 1GB boards installed, you have a total of 2GB of flash memory available to you. Because this is re-writable flash memory, once you've loaded a sample, it' s always in your Motif until you decide to replace it with something else.

The samples could be some of the new Motif Voice libraries or they could be your own samples -- the back ground vocals from your latest album that you need to take on the road, your favorite VST sound that you've converted to Motif format or even that coffee pot in your kitchen that you know will make a great snare sound. Wherever you get the samples, you can now "roll your own" customized 2GB sample library.

Imagine the power of a fully customized Motif XS with 3 GB of sounds (internal, RAM and Flash) instantly available at your fingertips.

The Motif XF-specific third-party sample and Voice libraries can be purchased at www.yamahasynth.com, and Yamaha has made the "Inspiration In a Flash" 400MB sample Voice library available for download at www.motifxf.com and easysoundz,de

3. Sound engine that increases the expressiveness of instrument sounds

The tone generator that the Motif XF has inherited from the MotifXS makes an 8-element-per-voice structure possible. Combined with Yamaha’s XA (Expanded Articulation), this 8-element structure allows you to achieve stunningly accurate acoustic instruments including expressive articulations that up until now have been difficult to re-create in electronic instruments. For example, you can re-create the natural legato of wind instruments, the key release noises of pianos and other instruments, guitar slides and harmonics, and the many different articulations for string instruments (spicato, tremolo and pizzicato, etc.). The AF1 and AF2 buttons on the front panel make it easy to control Voices with multiple articulations.

For synthesizer sounds, the 18 different filter types, advanced 6-stage pitch, filter and amplitude envelopes, unique Wave Cycle feature and assignable modulation Control Sets make the Motif capable of reproducing any synth sound from vintage to modern.

The tone generator also supports half damper pedaling through the use of the separately sold FC3 foot pedal. Using half damper pedaling with the damper resonance effect, you can achieve an even more realistic and richer piano sound that simulates the sound board of a grand piano and responds naturally to sophisticated piano pedaling techniques.

Yamaha's proprietary VCM (Virtual Circuitry Modeling) technology simulates the effects of vintage EQs, compressors, and phasers at the circuit level. This has enabled Yamaha to increase the Motif's instrument quality by modeling the "texture" of vintage analog compressors, EQs and stomp boxes right down to the component transistors and resistors. With the Motif XF, the high-quality effects found in our industry standard digital recording consoles are at your fingertips. Also, the Motif XF is equipped with vocoder effects. By connecting a microphone to the Motif's A/D input terminal, you can apply effects to your voice or use your own voice to create harmonies. The Motif XF also includes the award-winning "REV-X" reverb, the same professionally renowned reverb found in the SPX2000.

5. High-quality keyboards that enable high-level performance

The Motif XF6 and XF7 use high-quality FSX keyboards with 61 and 76 keys, respectively. The Motif XF8 uses a BH (balanced hammer) keyboard with 88 keys. The FSX keyboard uses a newly-developed mechanism to provide a smooth touch that is both comfortable to play and responsive to your touch. It’s easy to play fast passages, including glissandos and trills. It is also worth mentioning that the keys are very quiet.

The balanced hammer keyboard is filled with the know-how and technology that Yamaha has developed producing full concert grand pianos and stage pianos. To make a keyboard with a piano touch that can still work comfortably with any voice, we took a graded hammer keyboard, which is a popular keyboard for electronic pianos, and adjusted it for use with a synthesizer: we balanced the keys to the same weight and made adjustments so that the synthesizer can support after touch and other features. While pursuing the real touch of a grand piano, we also provide a touch that is exceptionally suited to the performance of a multitude of synthesizer sounds.

6. Rich arpeggiator with over 7000 patterns that expands the breadth of sound expression

You can use the arpeggiator to perform unique instrument phrases. By layering parts, you can give form to your composition ideas quickly.

The Motif XF excels in both arpeggio quantity and quality. In addition to typical arpeggio patterns, the Motif XF also features simulations of acoustic instrument performances through the combination of arpeggios and the keyboard MegaVoices (example: video) and arpeggios in which synthesizer parameters, such as panning and filtering, are modulated in time MIDI clock. The Motif XF adds to the Motif XS's extensive library of arps and has an additional 1,248 synthesizer, drum, percussion, and ending arpeggios, for a total of 7,881 types of arpeggios.

In performance mode, you can layer up to four Voices, and you can split the keyboard into 4 zones with different key ranges and velocity windows. Also, you can create music quickly by using the arpeggiator on the different Voices. The Motif XF interactive real time arpeggio engine lets you run 4 different arps simultaneously and switch between 5 different variations of arpeggio patterns in real time. It's incredibly musically interactive and many arps include chordal intelligence so they create different phrases depending on what chords are played on the keyboard.

Thanks to the direct performance recording feature, which enables you to record performances in real time to songs and patterns, you can quickly capture your song ideas sparked by the Motif Performances to a song or pattern for further editing and refining.

8. Category Search feature that provides instant access to the sound you want

You can use the Category Search feature to quickly and easily select the Voices or performances from the Motif XF's massive arsenal of sounds. All the Voices in the Motif are categorized by instruments and even have sub categories. So it's easy to select Category Search, choose the category strings, the sub-category ensemble and then see all the ensemble string Voices in your system. Even third party libraries are categorized using this elegant database system. Category Search is available wherever you want to select a Voice, so when you are looking for just the right sound in a Song, access Category Search and easily browse for that perfect fit for your mix.

In Performance Mode, Performances are sorted by musical genre, so you can quickly select the type of Performance that matches your moment of inspiration. The Favorites feature even lets you tag your favorites Voices and Performances so they are even easier to access.

9. Improved sampling with 128MB of internal SD-RAM

The Motif XF has 128MB of internal SD-RAM. This means that you can sample external audio without installing separately purchased memory. Using the sampling feature, you can load sample Voice libraries, import WAV files or add vocals, guitars and other acoustic instruments to your Motif sequences.

You can connect a microphone to the A/D input and sample vocals Also, if you select the slice feature during sampling, even if you change the tempo of songs and patterns, recorded audio will follow the beat with perfect synchronization. You can process your recorded samples in minute detail to produce just the right sound using a redesign sample editing UI.

10. Integrated Sampling Sequencer features that provide advanced integration of audio and MIDI

The Motif XF features an Integrated Sampling Sequencer which allows you to combine MIDI and audio samples (driven by MIDI events), so you can create complete songs including vocals, guitars and acoustic instruments all right inside the Motif XF. Because the XF now features 128MB of onboard sampling RAM, you're able to take advantage of these powerful features right away without the need to purchase external memory. The XF sequencer also lets you work the way you prefer because it features two different sequence modes. There is a linear tape machine-style, 16-track Song sequencer for recording and punching in and out as you would on a tape machine-style DAW interface. It also includes a 16-track Pattern sequencer that lets you work in loops and build up sections of your song (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) and chain those sections together into complete song structures. You can easily move your production back and further between song and pattern modes depending on your needs. With the bundled Cubase AI software, you can even import completed Songs directly in Cubase including all the audio samples for further editing and mastering.

Integrated Sampling Sequencer
With the Integrated Sampling Sequencer, you can integrate audio (sampled) data and MIDI data seamlessly. WAV/AIFF loading is also supported. You can use the time slice feature to slice the sampled sounds that you load and control them in the same way that you would control MIDI data. For example, you can synchronize audio data to the same BPM as MIDI sequence data. Also, by presetting the tempo, time signature, necessary number of measures, and number of beats, you can smoothly perform trimming and easily create perfect audio loops. Also, you can use a variety of editing commands to modify your samples. The Motif XF supports features such as time stretching, in which the sample length is changed while the pitch remains the same; pitch shifting, in which the pitch is changed while the length of the sample remains the same; and loop remixing which instantly creates new musical variations of looped grooves. In addition, there is a resampling feature that you can use to record the performance of the Motif XF as a single audio sample.

11. Remote control and editor that make DAW integration easy

Features such as remote control (which you can use to remotely control the parameters of a DAW application on a PC from the Motif), various DAW templates, and simple setup features make the Motif XF easy to use. In particular, the integration between the Motif XF and Steinberg's Cubase 5 series is truly seamless.

Using the Yamaha Motif XF Editor, you can make subtle Voice edits from your PC while checking them visually. Because the communication between the Motif and the editor is bi-directional, whether you're moving the knobs on the Motif or changing parameters with the mouse in the editor, the parameters are perfectly matched. There is even a VST3 editor for use in Cubase 5 (including AI) which lets you use your Motif as a VST soft synth.

If you install the optional FW16E FireWire expansion board, you can record 16 tracks of audio data to the DAW software through the audio interface. After you install the necessary drivers (AI driver, extensions for Steinberg DAW), connect the Motif XF to a PC using an IEEE 1394 cable, and start Cubase AI. It identifies the Motif XF's audio I/O and multi-sound source immediately, and all you have to do to start working is select a Motif XF project template.

12. Cubase AI, a DAW software application from Steinberg

The Motif XF comes with a special Yamaha version of Cubase, the world-renowned DAW software. Cubase AI has the same engine as Cubase 5 but has been modified to integrate more efficiently with the Motif.

4. Other updates

The MOTIF XF now supports the Yamaha USB Wireless
LAN Adaptor UD-WL01.
(Please note that only IEEE802.11b/g is available)

Other problems have been solved.

Important

In case you have updated the firmware version to V1.50, please use the MOTIF XF Editor version of V1.6.3 or later.

In case you attempt to load a file that was saved in a firmware version of V1.50 or later into a firmware version of V1.40 or earlier, the new Effect types that have been added to firmware version V1.50 would be replaced as "No Effect" or "Thru".

Yamaha Synth Book

Yamaha celebrates over 40 years of Yamaha Synthesizers with the "Yamaha Synth Book" iOS app. Yamaha Synth Book features a complete history of Yamaha Synthesizers, AN2015: an integrated virtual analog softsynth, Music Remixer: a DJ audio phrase performance app, and serves as a portal to Yamaha's online synth communities.

Voice Editor Essential is a simple Core MIDI iPad editor application to edit parameters in Yamaha synthesizers.
The editor focuses on detailed editing of insert effects, system effects, arpeggiator and EQ that are frequently modified and can take advantage of the iPad’s large graphic display. In addition to that, you can control parameters like EG or cutoff in real-time by using fader control or XY Pad. Some essential global parameters including tap tempo and volume control are also included.

Performance Editor Essential is a Core MIDI application that enables you to edit the performances of a Yamaha synthesizer from your iPad.
You can configure the MEQ and effects, which are often used in editing, in addition to arpeggiator settings, voice combinations, and each voice's key range. Performance Editor Essential also has an XY pad for controlling parameters in real time. You can also control the tap tempo and volume.

Multi Editor Essential is a Core MIDI application which gives you all the tools you need to mix your songs and patterns of Yamaha synthesizer on your iPad.
You can control volume, pan, chorus send and reverb send for each part as well as detailed editing of the mix effects and the master EQ. You can also control the transport sections of sequencer.

Set List Organizer can be used to edit and display the set list for a live performance. It's a must-have application for any musician. Set List Organizer is a Core MIDI application that can send MIDI program change messages for each song in a live performance from your iPad to a synthesizer or other devices. You can use Set List Organizer to write detailed notes for each song.

Faders & XY Pad is a Core MIDI application that controls external MIDI devices by sending MIDI control change messages from your iPad. 8 faders each with up to 3 control change parameters can be assigned for each of 50 templates. A unique XY-Pad mode let’s you control multiple faders by flicking a ball that bounces off the sides of the XY grid for vector synthesis type control. This application offers unique new ways for sonically tweaking the synthesizer.

The iOS version of the world-renowned TENORI-ON brings you a completely new musical interface. Even if you don't know much about music, you can create music intuitively as if you were arranging sounds in space. The music that you see on the 16 × 16 grid of buttons is the music that is performed.

On the 16 × 16 grid of buttons, basically, the horizontal direction is time, and the vertical direction is pitch.By laying sounds on these buttons, you can combine rhythms and melodies to produce music. A button will glow when its sound is produced. The movements of the glowing lights produce a visual performance.

TNR-i can produce 16 types of sounds at the same time (16 layers), and it can remember up to 16 song patterns produced using those sounds (16 blocks). By switching between song patterns in real time, you can produce a rich variety of musical expressions.
There are six different types of performance modes that you can select for each layer. You can make elaborate music by combining different modes. In score mode, the most fundamental of the modes, you can arrange sounds horizontally (temporally) and vertically (by pitch). In the exciting random mode, the sounds that you arrange are not just played in order—the melody and rhythm constantly change as twists are added. In draw mode, you can perform music by tracing your finger across the buttons as if drawing a picture. In bounce mode, the glowing lights are like bouncing balls that produce sound when they fall. In push mode, you can continuously change the sound as you perform. In solo mode, which is fun for solo performances, you can easily adjust the speed of repetition and the pitch.

Cloud Audio Recorder allows you to record the sound of musical instruments to your iOS devices via the built-in microphone.
The recorded data can be normalized, trimmed and signal processed on the iOS devices. Recorded data can be freely uploaded to or downloaded from SoundCloud. Also you can copy & paste your sound to another iOS apps.

No matter what level of musical ability Yamaha’s Metronome is easy to use. Whether you’re a drummer, guitarist, pianist, producer, DJ, student, teacher or a live performer, in music timing is everything.

The latest version of Synth Arp & Drum Pad that lets you create fabulous phrases and beats of your own design! It's more powerful than ever with these new features.
- Audiobus support (input only) (V1.2.0)
- Perform an audio mixdown of recorded songs (V1.1.0)
- Audio library (compatible with SoundCloud and AudioCopy) (V1.1.0)
- An additional 19 tones and 24 arpeggiator patterns (V1.1.0)

There are 366 arppegiator patterns that can play phrases from all kinds of music genres like dance music, hip-hop, rock, pops, with one finger. The app has an internal synthesizer with 80 high-quality voices including 13 drum kits so you can hear the output as you play. You can save your phrases by recording them in an easy-to-use loop sequencer. You can freely modify the tonal qualities of the sound even after recording.

* This application is Core MIDI compatible. Wi-Fi communication possible with Yamaha MOTIF XF (body version 1.2 or above) Alternatively, use the MIDI Interface i-MX1 or i-UX1 to communicate with all MIDI devices.
* A USB Wi-Fi adaptor, sold separately, is necessary for Wi-Fi communications.

Compatible instruments:

iPad (3rd/1st generation), iPad2 (2nd generation)
* For best performance, we recommend that you use iPad2 or later.

Visual Performer is a new type of application for graphically visualizing your musical performance from any MIDI device. A variety of built-in animations respond to the pitch and velocity from your instrument. It's a great way to add cool imagery to your performances!

Compatible instruments:

iPad (3rd/1st generation), iPad2 (2nd generation)
* For best performance, we recommend that you use iPad2 or later.

Faders is a Core MIDI application that controls external MIDI devices by sending MIDI control change messages from your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
4 sliders each with up to 3 control change parameters can be assigned for each of 50 templates. This application offers unique new ways for sonically tweaking the synthesizer.
In V1.3.0, we've added a firmware update feature of Yamaha i-MX1. For more details, please refer to the product page of i-MX1.

The contents can only be viewed on an iPad with iBooks If you don't have iBooks installed on your iPad, install the iBooks app (free, Apple) available from the AppStore.

Step 2: Download the electronic book

Tap on the link in Safari on your iPad to start the download. When the screen shown on the left appears, tap "Open with iBooks". After the data finishes transferring to iBooks, the book will automatically open.

10th Anniversary

Since its 2001 introduction the MOTIF synth/workstation has found wide use in a variety of applications ranging from music production to live performance. Over its ten-year history, the series has undergone a remarkable evolution spanning from the original to the latest XF.

We are working on a new Anniversary pack and special offers, stay tuned for news coming soon.

MOTIF 10th Anniversary Message from Chick Corea [Keyboardist]

He has been using the MOTIF including all series for 10 years. He is mainly interested in the clavinet sounds and organ sounds. " Well I've been there since the beginning of the MOTIF. It's now the tenth anniversary, and each generation of the MOTIF has increased the quality. Now, with this new, latest MOTIF XF, I think it's reached a very high level. It satisfies all of my keyboard needs. I don't need another keyboard for me. So congratulations also to Yamaha technicians for producing such a great instrument and happy anniversary".

MOTIF 10th Anniversary Message from Bert Smorenburg [Demonstrator]

He has been working as a Yamaha demonstrator - a product demonstrator - for more than 10 years. "All the major musicians worldwide were playing the MOTIF on stage, just because it had so many instantly usable sounds. And you know, Yamaha rocks! We all know that! It has been 10 years now, and I truly hope that we're going to keep working for another 10 years, so happy anniversary!"

CHICK'S MARK V

He was using Mark.V in his Elektric Band performances,and it always became difficult to keep it repaired. So he decided to sample the instrument, and that's when he came around to the process of actually sampling the Rhodes a couple of years ago.

So then right at that time, the new MOTIF with flash drive was produced. And so the Yamaha engineers took the large file and make it fit comfortably in the flash drive. When Chick tried it he was very happy to see that the sound is beautiful… All of the effort that he put into making the sample was realized into the flash drive, and now a voice in the XF.

The dawn of evolution - the original MOTIF series

Built around a practical, easy to use interface, the original MOTIF featured a generous amount of Waveform memory for delivering high quality sounds, and a high performance sequencer with intuitive controls. It brought great change to the way in which music is made, becoming the keyboard of choice for a great number of artists. In particular, its Integrated Sampling Sequencer provided the user with a very flexible way to create highly detailed music, by fusing the audio sampling tone generator (AWM2) and MIDI recording processes together.

Based on requests from users who were using the MOTIF in everything from music production to live performance, the MOTIF ES was designed with enhancements that furthered its expressive power and usability.In addition to some really great sounds, its "Phrase Factory" design concept provided artists with easier ways to sketch out songs by generating some really hip and realistic phrases, one after another, that could be connected together into a song. Wave memory increased to 175MB, more than double of the original MOTIF, and Keyboard Mega Voices were introduced bringing acoustic instrument Voicess to life by reproducing all of their subtle playing nuances. Other enhancements include the arpeggiator and effects, which offered drastic improvements in musical expressiveness.

Memory increases to 355MB and each Voice has up to 8 Elements. The XS features VCM effects for simulating vintage sounds, and a meticulously recorded, resonant piano. The sequencer section offers an increased number of patterns, and the arpeggiator is much more powerful than before. This is the first MOTIF to feature a large color display. The Phrase Factory concept is further strengthened and the MOTIF's evolution has moved forward offering an easier, more intuitive approach to shaping compositions.The MOTIF XS comes equipped with Ethernet and FireWire connections, and is bundled with Cubase music production software which allows the MOTIF XS to integrate into the computer environment, an increasing popular way to create music.

Wave memory increases to 741MB and over 1,200 new Waveforms are added. The MOTIF XF can accommodate up to 2GB of optional flash memory, which greatly expands the extent of its sound editing capabilities. The AWM2 tone generator is enhanced with Yamaha's Expanded Articulation that deliver much more natural sounding acoustic instruments and unique performance methods for synth voices. The XF also features a wide variety of effects including VCM effects and a rich selection of arpeggio types letting you create highly detailed sounds plus a wide range of performance possibilities all from a single keyboard.The MOTIF XF comes bundled with Cubase integrating the MOTIF into computer based music production systems that enhance the music making process. Additionally, development of apps for the iPad and the iPhone move the MOTIF XF further forward in the evolutionary process, providing a new way for users to interact with this advanced music production system.